Rouge Tears

This sound film remake of The Goddess 1934 was headlined by Hu Die who found stardom at the same time as Ruan Lingyu Henry Lai Hang and Zhang Zhizhi reprised their roles from the earlier film The first half of the story follows The Goddness but the second half references Bu Wanchangs Love and Duty 1931 and King Vidors American film Stella Dallas 1937 with additional plots of the heroines postprison story After years of separation she hesitates whether to reunite with her son This new version poses a bigger challenge to a mothers love and pushes towards the completion of her fate The characters use dialogue to express their pain and connection which strengthens the dramatic dilemma and makes the film more straightforward than its predecessor Hu Die possesses a sort of allure that shows the sadness shame and will of a common woman from middle age to old age